31 Oct. 2023: CPI is deeply disappointed at the Government's announcement not to introduce separate collections of paper and card. This decision, coupled with the intention to introduce exemptions to allow for commingled collections, is profoundly disconcerting. Alarmingly, the quality of materials collected has been overlooked, which will lead to an increase in contamination, drive up reprocessing costs, and consequently deter investment in the paper recycling sector. 

The Paper Industry has worked extensively on making fibre-based products recyclable by design. Our work on Papercycle Papercycle and the Design for Recyclability Guidelines defined standards and motivated sustainable design. However, to ensure high quality output, collection systems are key. Although initially supportive of the proposed reforms to the Resources and Waste Strategy, CPI advocated that the only way to enhance recycling systems is by increasing both the quantity and the quality of recyclable materials via separate collections for paper and card.
 
It is both surprising and concerning that, despite the extended time taken to release this response, Government has neglected crucial environmental considerations. The limited references to quality in the response itself epitomises the Government's neglect of this aspect of collections and reinforces the perception that its only focus is quick and easy wins to increase recycling rates. Such gains are likely to be illusory as much of the recovered material may be too contaminated to either recycle in the UK efficiently or sell abroad.
 
With multiple studies endorsing separate collections as the most effective means to enhancing both the quality and quantity of materials collected, this response is a step backwards. Separate collections underpin the most successful recycling systems across Europe, and Wales is an excellent example in the UK of how high recycling rates can be achieved via separate collections. We invite Government to share its evidence base for its stance on commingled collections and look forward to further presenting our evidence that only separate collection of paper and board for recycling can deliver a high-quality stream of paper for recycling.